Retractable Badge Holder: Convenience Is Its Middle Name

Why is the retractable badge holder being utilized these days? The answer is simple: it is by far one of the most convenient tools that we can use in our daily lives that does not really take a lot of space, or cost a great deal of money. The retractable badge holder is also non-mechanical. It means that you do not have to be a rocket scientist to use one. You basically just attach one on your tie, breast pocket, belt, or loop it around your neck, and go. And because it is relatively inexpensive, people can replace a broken one anytime. The retractable badge holder can also be found in most stores that sell school and office supplies; and there are numerous companies making custom-made badge holders in the business pages of the World Wide Web. For badges used in work, the company usually supplies one for its employees.

So what’s the big deal about retractable badge holder? Not much, according to a lot of people. To them, one badge holder is just like the rest. However, if you look at these tools closely, you might see that these are more than just disposable “thingies” that serve very little purpose. In fact, these “thingies” have made convenience almost second nature by simply being there.

It all started with the development of identification badges. These badges may contain all the necessary information that a person would need to enter a controlled environment. There is no more need to punch in numbers for key identification; and there is no more need to check the accuracy of an employment’s attendance by looking at the marks made by the Bundy clock. Convenience is the key element here and in the digital era, it makes sense to digitize everything, including identification badges and passes to certain premises. However, this does not mean that shifting from one technology to another means it’s smooth sailing from thereon.

Most machines do not ping (acknowledge) in one swipe. So if you are wearing an identification badge around your neck using a lanyard or a nylon neck cord you need to bring yourself closer to the machine and swipe, swipe and swipe until the machine finally acknowledges the tag on your identification badge. No one really likes being nose-to-nose with the panel of glass or the wall where the swiping machine is attached, you know. A retractable badge holder is convenient because you can simply pull the badge away from you and swipe at an arm’s length.

There are also some personnel who wear their identification badges on the belts, or breast pockets, or neck ties using alligator clips at the back. Without a retractable badge holder, that person has to unclip his or her badge in order to swipe for access. And then clip it back on again. This does not seem problematical, especially to people who have to swipe just once to gain access to a certain premises. But what about personnel who needs to flash their badge at every entry and exit point of the premises?

In some instances, there are personnel who need to use their badge to document the release of papers or even money. How many times have you actually seen a person bent over a table, swiping at a fixed machine? Instead of buying a portable machine to flash at the badge (which is expensive, by the way); the company can simply provide the retractable badge holder to its employees to make processing go faster.